Benefit of CT scanning for assessing pulmonary disease in the immunodepressed patient

Management of pulmonary disease in immunodepressed patients requires a clear diagnostic and therapeutic strategy and multidisciplinary cooperation.

The diagnostic approach should take into account the type of immunodepression, the clinical picture, the radiological signs and symptoms, and the microbiological, cytological and even histological examination of the pulmonary or extrapulmonary specimens. The high-resolution CT scan plays a central role and makes it possible to prioritize the diagnostic possibilities.

The analysis of the literature shows three important points: the chest X-ray has low diagnostic value; the CT scan of the chest can reveal lesions that cannot be detected on a standard chest X-ray; the CT scan is helpful for early detection and monitoring of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.